Chapter 22 This is the Warrior

Haunted Farm, outside the mine.

There were no longer any miners' tents here, just scraps of cloth on the ground, broken bodies of blood servants and wild beasts lying all around, evidence of struggle everywhere, as well as a deep groove.

The groove looked as if it had been gouged out by a giant's fingernails, but its bottom was soaked with bloodstains.

Two hundred meters away in the wheat field, a large vacuum area had appeared.

The main players on the field were four figures and a blood giant wearing pitch-black armor.

Arthur single-handedly fought against three opponents: apart from Jianglu, there was also a pale-skinned, handsome noble couple who didn't seem alive.

They were none other than the final boss of Haunted Manor, Dylan Gittiler, and the penultimate boss, Selima Gittiler.

The conspicuous blood puppet was obviously summoned by them.

In addition, there was another person, the "master gardener" brought by Mr. Donald.

That is, the Tree Herder.

Arthur was undoubtedly a fierce man, not only fighting against three, but also going back and forth with the three-meter-tall blood puppet with his flesh and blood.

If nothing unexpected, the deep blood groove on the ground was plowed by the blood puppet's face hitting the ground.

Its helmet had flown off; half of its wax-like face was a bloody blur, as if a large chunk had been wiped away by an eraser.

"This intensity of battle is indeed not something I can participate in..." Heine sighed in the clear space between the field and the mine, atop a pile of straw.

He drove up from the ridges on the eastern side of the farm, circling the mine where there had been many witnesses, but after killing them, there were none left.

Now, this position was the "blind spot" mentioned by the three, a VIP spot for watching the battle.

On the way there, the three skeletons in the car discussed how to persuade him to back off a bit; he was somewhat reluctant.

But now he understood.

The enemies he had faced in previous battles were mostly elites below level 10, undoubtedly easy fights.

The only battle of quality was the one against Jianglu.

But that battle was also easily resolved by Teacher Xia who had completely seen through the opponent.

The "level 10 and above extraordinary battle" that the three referred to was the normal state of the world's extraordinaries.

It could even be said to be just the beginning.

The two bosses from the instance kept releasing green and pitch-black energy bursts that slammed into Arthur, who every time he tried to break through and twist the necks of the casters, was blocked by the blood puppet.

The latter was like a shield, protecting the fragile bodies of the casters in front of it.

The reddish-brown vines on the ground also did not stop entangling and whipping, flying leaves darting towards Arthur like raindrops, yet he couldn't find the Tree Herder's location.

Jianglu's figure kept appearing behind Arthur, her dagger striking like a nimble snake, and every time the opponent retaliated, she had already vanished into the distance, agile like a hummingbird.

Everyone was performing.

Only Arthur was taking hits.

Taking hits over and over.

He was like a battered top that spins incessantly without falling, wounded but not dead.

That was also the state of being for the warrior class.

Against all attacks, there were only simple blocks, parries, and dodges.

If all else failed, then face them, bear them with the body!

Charge! Knocked back.

Then charge again! And get knocked back again.

His armor looked like two sheets of iron crudely stitched together, exposing his brawny, muscled arms, the whole man resembling a statue forged from steel.

Now, the statue was covered with wounds, the blood that was spilled became a scarlet aura all over him, even the armor stained with a hint of red.

But his spirit was obviously very excited, and growing more so.

Teacher Xia commented, "Although we always make fun of warrior bros, they really man up when it comes down to fighting. He's not even at low health yet, and the lower it gets, the fiercer he becomes."

Director Sa agreed, "Indeed... the widespread rerolling (class swapping) among warrior players and the forum-bashing culture seemed to have started at the same time, a cause and effect relationship. It seems like game opinions have always been like this, if it's not T0, it's unplayable."

Zhuo Yang said, "It's not all because of public opinion; it also has to do with the warrior's singular functionality and simplistic fighting style. Compared to other classes, it's just too plain."

Director Sa exclaimed, "Brother Yang, have you played a warrior before?"

"Yeah."

"Then why did you later delete your character and restart?"

"No, I didn't delete my account," Zhuo Yang said with a strange tone. "I've triggered so many virtues; the Holy Light blessed me automatically."

Director Sa was even more shocked, "Is that knight who posted on the forum at level 14 asking how to get to the headquarters of Eternal Dawn you?"

"Yes, that's me."

"And then it was me who led him there," Teacher Xia said.

"So that's how you guys got to know each other..."

Director Sa quickly blended into their daily rhythm.

After confirming that Arthur was fine for the time being and didn't need his insignificant help, Heine, along with the three who were gossiping, went into the mine.

From the outside, it appeared to be a silent, understanding group of four.

But in reality, the three were chatting away.

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However, as soon as he descended, Heine felt something was off.

Every breath of air he inhaled felt as if it was laced with chili powder, stinging his eyes and making it hard for him to keep them open.

He hurriedly called to the three Skeletons and looked at them.

"Strange, aren't you three affected?"

He carefully checked the three of them but found nothing amiss.

Director Sa: "What's wrong with him?"

Zhuo Yang: "It must be energy neutralization. It's his first time breathing in so much Holy Light. He'll need to adapt since the concentration here is too high."

"Why are the three of us fine?" Teacher Xia asked.

This question killed the competition.

Who knows...

So Heine didn't need to worry anymore.

All he needed to know was that the Holy Light couldn't harm his undead servants.

The mine was a labyrinthine network. As Heine was hesitating which path to take, he suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps coming from below.

The four of them quickly hid.

They saw a Guard dressed in the same standard light chainmail as Director Sa running out, holding a severed arm.

He himself was staggering, yet he kept making gestures as if supporting someone in the air, with the other hand tightly clutching the severed arm.

"Has he been hit with an illusion spell?" Teacher Xia wondered. "Why has the third boss come out too?"

Director Sa: "Doesn't that mean all but the first have shown up?"

Teacher Xia: "No kidding, the first is 'the door'. It can't bring the door along when it comes out, right?"

Heine, catching on to what was happening, quickly told Zhuo Yang to intercept the other party.

Who knew that the Guard, upon seeing Brother Yang, would kneel down in an instant.

He clung to Brother Yang's legs, "Lord Arthur, Lord Arthur! There's a beast below, as big as a hill, hurry up, run! There's no time!"

Zhuo Yang: "Ah...what should I say?"

Teacher Xia: "Don't bother, you're mute."

"Oh, right."

In a moment of urgency, Heine stepped forward and kicked the man over:

"Useless thing, making your companion wait here. You lead the way for Lord Arthur!"

The Guard's face was filled with terror: "Lord Arthur, no, I can't..."

Heine had Zhuo Yang raise the Bone-Chopping Knife, aiming it at the empty air beside the man.

"Lead the way, or we kill her!"

"Don't harm her! I'll lead the way!"

The Guard scrambled up and carefully placed the severed arm aside.

He stood up, his expression bashful, and then turned to embrace the air, bringing his face towards it.

It was as if someone was kissing him goodbye...

And he even stuck out his tongue??

Director Sa: "Fuck, I can't keep it together, this guy's hallucination is too severe, right?"

"Doesn't he find it strange to have lovers around in this situation?"

Zhuo Yang: "To be fair, an illusion makes everything seem dreamy and logical. If it didn't, would it still be an illusion?"

"True..."

The lover's kiss gave the soldier the courage he needed, and he led the four of them into the mining path.

Downward they went, passing three or four junctions, but this fellow didn't even pause to think and kept moving without hesitation.

The more resolute he was, the less worried Heine was. This showed he truly remembered the path.

Maybe in the illusion, there weren't so many options, just this one path.

The deeper into this damned place they walked, the colder it got, with walls gradually frosted with white, and even dry, withered grass beginning to appear on the ground.

After turning through a narrow corridor, they were finally greeted with a space that opened up.

This seemed to be a campsite, unusually covered with long, yellowed grass stalks, at the center of which stood a top-to-bottom earthen yellow pipe.

You couldn't tell what it was made of, but it was ringed with a wooden frame.

Around it lay tents and straw mats, as well as straw for warming.

Many people dressed like miners were not so much lying on them as their bodies were carelessly discarded.

They were obviously long dead.

In front of the pipe stood an old man wearing an alchemy robe.

He looked at Heine immediately, and Heine looked back at him.

Their eyes met without any sign.

"Attack! Act freely!"

Almost in the same moment that Heine gave the order, a Demon-breaking Arrow sped out.

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